On his first radio show of the 2025–26 season, Mark Pope brought something Kentucky fans desperately needed after 2 really bad losses to Louisville and Michigan State: optimism.
After a rough start to the year marked by injuries and inconsistent play, Pope dropped two massive updates on key pieces point guard Jaland Lowe and big man Jayden Quaintance.
And for the first time in weeks, they were both good at the same time.
Jaland Lowe is back on the court
Lowe’s shoulder saga has been exhausting. Hurt in the Blue-White game. Returned. Re-injured in practice. Ruled out indefinitely.
But the tide is turning. Pope revealed that Lowe was back on the court participating in non-contact skill work. That is a key first step in trying to get back out on the court.
"It will continue to be a day-to-day scenario," Pope said. "It was good to see him, not just in the skill work, but also out there coaching. He’s doing well."
That is a huge shift from "indefinitely." While it may not be any time soon, it at least is not a for sure season ender.
Jayden Quaintance takes another major leap
The news on 7-footer Jayden Quaintance was even better.
Quaintance had already been doing 2-on-2 work ahead of schedule in his ACL rehab. Now? He has graduated to 3-on-3 drills.
That extra body on the floor represents a significant step up in contact and movement. It means his knee is responding well to the workload. And his debut may be closer than we even thought about.
Kentucky hasn't been whole all season. If these two can return before SEC play begins, the entire ceiling of this roster changes. They will have time to get fully integrated, in game shape, and get to know their team.
Adding a dynamic point guard and a lottery-talent big man back into the mix for the stretch run? That is the recipe for a mid-season turnaround.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion